go build yourself another home
by callmesandy
Summary: Everyone knew the only reason Chad was the number one in the class freshman year was because Peter Parker got sick for a week and his uncle was murdered. MJ had briefly suspected Chad of poisoning Peter, but even Chad and his horrible parents wouldn't murder someone for class rank. Not in freshman year. (Part 1 - next part is 'is big and so awake')


Trope bingo spot rivals to lovers. Title from r.e.m's so central rain. not mine, no profit garnered. thanks a!

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It would make sense to think MJ and Peter Parker would be rivals. At the end of freshman year, Peter was ranked fifth and MJ was right behind him at sixth. Midtown Tech was totally the school that ranked fourteen year olds based on grades and difficulty of classes. An A in Algebra just wasn't worth as much as an A in Geometry or Algebra 2 or pre-Calc. Ten freshmen were taking Pre-Calculus at Midtown Tech that year, including Peter and MJ and Peter's BFF Ned.

If MJ had a rival it was the turd at number one, Chad Miller. He was whitebread with a vicious twist. Everyone knew the only reason Chad was number one because Peter got sick for a week and his uncle was murdered. MJ had briefly suspected Chad of poisoning Peter, but even Chad and his horrible parents wouldn't murder someone for class rank. Not in freshman year.

Also, of course, Peter was Spiderman. Like, obviously. MJ knew even before Peter got his Stark brand suit. First, it was obviously a teenage boy in those sweats. Second, Peter watched every single one of those youtube vids and third, Peter never wanted to talk about Spiderman, not even with Ned. And most important, Peter had the type of character that would think being Spiderman was a great idea. Also obviously, one time when MJ was looking for a classroom to study in before she went home, she saw Peter mixing what was clearly web fluid.

In MJ's estimation, she and Peter both had frayed and tenuous family backgrounds. Peter's was big trauma tragedies leaving a shell of family, MJ's was more like tiny regular fires happening over and over again. Peter's parents were killed, instant orphan. Murdered uncle. Big bombs of horror.

MJ's parents were divorced when she was eight. Her dad had already been married once. MJ's sister's mom had gone off the rails, in the words of MJ's grandmother, been committed possibly jailed. Probably because she'd abused her daughter. MJ's mom remarried some guy she met at work and they both moved back to where his family was from, somewhere small in the middle of Pennsylvania. MJ's mom would totally take her in if worst came to worst, but right now, neither of them wanted to.

MJ's dad had moved to Albany so her dad sent money and MJ's twenty five year old sister was in charge of her. Technically. Really, there was a whole group of family all around MJ to make things easier. Her mom's four sisters all lived in New York City and they were kind of people who would drive through a blizzard if MJ needed something. They even let MJ sleep on their couches all the time. Her dad's parents and a few of MJ's cousins all lived nearby and pitched in, too.

Not that she didn't mostly live with her sister in their apartment. But her sister was prickly and sometimes mean. MJ had infinite reserves of compassion and forgiveness for her sister. She'd been abused by her mother. She'd had to deal with so much. Their grandmother called Wendy "mean and crazy." MJ kept thinking that the same woman had told MJ about Wendy being abused. Family loved each other. They forgave.

MJ just tried to spend time away from home and get her studying done so her sister could do the things she wanted.

She spent a lot of the summer in Albany with her dad and his third wife. She was sweet and gentle and pretty awesome. MJ missed New York a lot. She was a snob. She liked all her restaurants and people on the streets and protests conveniently located with excellent transit.

Peter was Spiderman all summer. He got his Stark suit and went to Germany. On the first day of school, she sat in her usual place at lunch and heard Peter and Ned talking about Peter's Stark internship. MJ rolled her eyes and thought Peter probably wasn't getting paid even though he deserved to be. Even if he was just pretending to be working for a billionaire, Stark was a billionaire.

Peter was also whining that Stark wouldn't let him quit robotics or orchestra or decathlon.

"Why would you quit your clubs because of your internship?"

"Just, if he needs me for stuff," Peter said. He was horrible at having a secret identity.

Stark even showed up at school events. She saw him barely disguised at the robotics club first Fight Night. They didn't have the robots fight anymore, now they did chores and put on shows. Peter's robot carried things up stairs. "It's New York, not everyone has working elevators, right?"

Stark was nodding along. MJ showed up because she liked staying as long as possible at school but she also liked Peter. Someone had to watch over him. She went up to Stark and said, "You should pay him, you know, your intern."

"Hello," Tony said. "Nice to meet you, too."

"You're a billionaire. You could afford to pay him a million dollars for this so-called internship, you wouldn't even notice." She was speaking quietly and had her eyes trained on Peter. Peter glanced over and saw the two of them and looked panicked. It was a very familiar look on Peter.

"I would actually, I would notice that. And that's pretty high pay for this actual internship." Stark was smiling, like he found her so amusing.

MJ stopped herself from stomping on his foot. She said, "You should still pay him. His time is worth it."

"He's a very valuable person, I agree," Stark said. "You're Michelle, right?"

MJ nodded brusquely. She was shocked Stark knew her name. He said, "The kid thinks you're great and scary."

"The kid has a name," MJ said.

"I don't like to wear it out," Stark said with a smile.

Sophomore year was also when Peter discovered girls, apparently. He was awful at keeping his secret identity secret and he was awful at hiding his burning obsession with Liz.

It was completely understandable. Liz wasn't just beautiful and smart and kind. She had an inner grace. She would probably grow up and be someone like Pepper Potts, though hopefully not overshadowed by her partner like Ms. Potts.

MJ had had a boyfriend freshman year, just for a month or so. He was a kid in the neighborhood and he had this amazing smile. He could sing, too. They used to hold hands and kiss and sit on a stoop watching everyone go by. MJ would pull out her book and he would say, "Tell me about it. Give me a summary." He had a voice like honey.

MJ's sister was happy when the boy moved away to stay with his cousin. She said MJ was getting distracted from her important schooling. She also thought the boy wasn't smart enough for MJ. "You'll make him feel small eventually. You won't mean to, but you'll be condescending about how he doesn't get things like you do. You do that." MJ had just nodded. She tried to let things roll off her like she wasn't even slightly affected.

She could tell when Ned figured out Peter was Spiderman which had to have happened because Peter was an idiot. She overheard even more obvious conversations.

The national decathlon weekend was actually pretty fun. Liz was a good leader. She managed to create team cohesiveness. MJ sat with Ned while Peter was babbling at Liz. MJ said, "He really likes her."

Ned said, "Yeah, he does. I can't believe a senior is paying attention to Peter."

"He's incredibly smart," MJ said. "He's a total loser who manages to be nice to everyone. Of course she's paying attention to him. Also, he's ripped. Which is weird." MJ knew he was ripped because of Spiderman, or being Spiderman made him ripped. However that worked. It was pretty fun to watch Ned squirm.

He changed the subject to decathlon and robotics club stuff and MJ let him.

After they won, they went to the Washington Monument. MJ stayed on the ground. Peter looked back at her and said, "Are you sure, MJ? It'd be cool to see the whole city."

"I'm good, Parker," MJ said.

She watched later that night when everyone was hanging out and then they left and it was just Peter and Liz acting like no one else there. MJ left quietly, but she could still see them kissing. She was jealous of both of them, sort of. She'd like to kiss either of them. It would be nice.

Her sister was really late picking them up. She didn't accept Peter and his aunt's offer of a ride home. Her sister would be so pissed if MJ was gone.

Liz moved to Oregon. Even weirder, they made MJ captain of decathlon. Even weirder, everyone thought it was a good idea.

MJ went to the orchestra and choir fall concert. She saw Stark there again. She plopped down in the seat next to him. "Is Pepper Potts coming? Can I meet her?"

"Michelle," Stark said. "She's not coming. She's never coming. I am being a responsible mentor and she has nothing to do with Peter's internship." He added, "Feel free to sit there. I'm sure there aren't any parents looking for seats."

"You want to sit next to some of the parents? They're awful, mostly. Not Peter's aunt. But a lot of the other ones," MJ said. She wondered if Stark was making sure Peter trained with other superheroes. He needed the training. Judging from the youtube videos, Peter really needed the training. In MJ's opinion.

Stark said, "No, you're right, I prefer you. Are you going to talk through this whole thing?"

"I wouldn't want to disturb your music appreciation," MJ said. They didn't talk again for another twenty minutes.

Stark said, after the first piece was performed, "I thought Peter was fifth chair."

"No, he's third chair," MJ said.

"I can't believe the kid lied to me," Stark said, with a small smile.

"You can't believe Peter Parker downplayed his accomplishment? Okay, I don't believe you're really working with Peter," MJ said.

"Ha ha," Stark said.

They didn't talk for the rest of the concert. MJ hung back while Peter greeted Mr. Stark with an almost kind of hug and lots of blushing. She was in the parking lot, fiddling with her phone, trying to decide how to get home. Or whether she could call Aunt Mitzi and see if she had a couch free tonight. MJ's sister had a boyfriend she'd been dating for a month. She had started making it clear to MJ that she didn't want MJ home as much. "He doesn't like you," MJ's sister said. "You have to understand that."

Aunt Mitzi had great wifi, too. MJ texted her and received a "come over right now can't wait to see you" text.

She almost jumped ten feet when Stark was right behind her, saying, "You need a ride, Michelle?"

She said, "Don't scare me like that. Why do you think I need a ride?"

"You're not old enough to have your driving license. My car is nicer than any subway or bus."

"You assume," MJ said. "Um, sure. I have to get my bag from my locker. Will you wait for five minutes?"

Stark smiled. "Of course."

Stark did have a really nice car. It was a smooth ride to Aunt Mitzi's. Stark also had a surprising amount of tact for a billionaire. He didn't ask about MJ's relationship to the blonde fiftysomething lady that she didn't call Mom. He just told her to be slightly nicer to Peter.

She said, "No promises, man. Maybe if you paid him, then I would be nicer. To you."

She ate lunch with Peter and Ned all the time now. They were like a little group of friends. Then there was even hanging out outside of school, after school. She'd been to Ned's and Peter's. She didn't let either of them come to anywhere she was staying.

She said to Peter at lunch, "Are you getting paid yet?"

"No, of course not," Peter said.

"He's a billionaire, Peter," MJ said. "Billion. One thousand million. You should get paid for your valuable time."

"I know, I know," Peter said. "Mr. Stark said you'd mentioned that. He offered some money -"

Ned said, "And you said yes, right?"

"No," Peter said. "I mean, I don't need money -"

"Bullshit," MJ said. "Everyone needs money. Are you gonna talk about your pride now? Not wanting charity? Come on, that's just some crap people feed you like pull yourself up by your bootstraps or you should starve instead of taking a handout, like who really doesn't want a gift? I'll take some money. Shit, Peter. Don't let the system brainwash you. Take what people give you."

"That is a lot," Peter said. He looked really dumbfounded. Somehow he made it cute.

MJ said, "Think about it. Really think about it. Whose interest is served by telling us all about being proud and not taking charity? Cause it's definitely not you and May. How's not taking charity doing in paying your rent or subway fare or electricity or movie tickets?"

"Fuck, that's so true," Ned said. "Damn, MJ, I never thought of that before."

"Your life is pretty comfortable," MJ said.

"Also very true," Ned said. "Peter, you should take the money. Listen to MJ."

Peter shook his head. "I'm not going to, but not because your arguments aren't great."

Her sister came to get her at Aunt Mellie's. Wendy said, "You can come back. That guy dumped me. Now that he's gone, you can stop making me look bad."

MJ had some dirty, dirty thoughts about Peter Parker. Dirty urges. She had a list of things she wanted. Like world peace, economic justice, seeing Peter Parker naked, meeting Michelle Obama, meeting Beyonce. The usual. Meeting any of the brilliant people from Wakanda. Making out with Peter Parker. Making out with Rihanna. She didn't actually make a list. She just imagined things. She tried to look bored while she stared at Peter. Sometimes it seemed like he was staring back.

She sat on his couch while he texted Ned while they watched the first season of the Wire. She said, "This is brilliant, you know."

"Everyone says that," Peter said.

"Do you not like it?"

"I like it," Peter said. "Have you watched it before?"

"My dad's wife in Albany really loves it. She's totally into Dominic West, weirdo. He's, like, the sixth most attractive guy on this show. Even lower if you add in the women."

"Agreed," Peter said. "Why don't you live in Albany with your dad?"

MJ smiled. "You waited a while to ask that one. I appreciate that." She patted his head. "My dad got his job in Albany right after I got into Midtown Tech. Nothing in Albany is that good. And Albany sucks. And it's only four years."

"So you live with your sister instead?" MJ appreciated the negative tone in Peter's voice when he said 'your sister' but she would never say that out loud. She reminded herself to stop talking about her sister.

She said, "It's a shared responsibility. We're done talking about this now."

Then one day, they were all at the school except Stark for once who actually missed a Peter Parker school event. Then the building next door crumbled and glowed and snarled and was on fire. MJ scrambled to where Peter was. He was talking very seriously to his aunt. She looked appalled. Parker practically ran right through her on his way to some part of the school.

He must be heading to his old suit, she thought. He didn't have his fancy suit. He was jumping into danger in his old sweats. She grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran after him. "Peter," she said.

He stopped in his tracks. He was already in the bad old suit. She said, "Let's not play. You're Spiderman. Duh. You'll probably need this since you don't have the suit." She tossed the heavy fire extinguisher.

Peter caught it and said, "Okay. Thanks. I gotta go."

She didn't run after him. She was too scared. She stayed in the school until she heard screaming and the building collapsing. Then she ran outside and found Ned.

It was five days before Peter recovered from that one. From the building falling down on him and the guy with the alien tech. He somehow found her home, where she actually lived. Maybe he found out from his Stark tech. She pulled him outside so he didn't come inside or see inside. He said, "So you knew."

"Since about a week after you started. You're bad at this."

"Mr. Stark said the same thing. He kept telling me to tell May. I'm too embarrassed to tell him about you knowing, too." Peter had a shy smile.

"Aww," MJ said. "He likes me."

Peter said, "Also, you can see why I can't take Stark's money. I can't get paid to be Spiderman."

"But Stark can absolutely subsidize your life while you do it, dumbass," MJ said. "Also." She took his hand and pulled him close to her and kissed him before she could talk herself out of it.

He kissed her back. He said, "Also, I like you."

"Same. And I'm the one who said it first."


End file.
